Harmonica



March 12, 1940. P. K. MOORE I 2,192,983

HARMONICA Filed Jan. l2, 1937 lil Patented Mar. 12, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARMONICA Paul K. Moore, Denver, Colo.

Application January 12, 1937', Serial No. 120,193

This invention relates to improvements in harmonicas.

It is an object of the invention toprovide a harmonica having means whereby the musical key thereof can be selectively varied.

Claims.

Another object is to provide a harmonicay wherein the notes or tones may be sharped or ilatted. y A further object is to make a harmonica having pre-set stops for the key-changing mechanism to facilitate the change.

A still further object is to furnish a harmonica wherein both reed-plates and the air-passages corresponding thereto can be selectively shifted as a unit to eiect a key change.

Still another object is to provide a harmonica having blow and draw holes in the mouthpiece, so arranged and spaced as to produce the normal musical scale tones in proper sequence in all keys to which the instrument may be set.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction which will be more fully disclosed in the following description and in the drawing wherein like parts have been similarly designated and in which;

Figure l is a plan view of a harmonica embcdying the invention;

Figure 2 is a side view, partly in section, taken along the lines 2-2 of Figures l and 5;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional View on an enlarged scale, taken along the line 3--3 oi Figure l;

Figure 4 is a sectional viewv taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5 5 of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional View taken along the line lie-6 of Figure 2.

In the drawing reference character I2 denotes 1 a mouthpiece divided, by a series of partitions I3, into rectangular cells I4, each connected with a draw passage and a blow passagey that communicate respectively, with the draw reeds and blow reeds. The reeds are' arranged in half- 4.5i tone steps, the draw side being shown in Figure 2.

455' and fourth, then a full-tone space between the,

Considering the individual cells I4, beginning at the left end of the instrument, Figure 1, it

will be seen thatv the cells each connect with av fourth and fifth, and a 'full-tone between the fth and sixth. The details of the sixth passage, which is a draw, are shown at lilav in Figure 2. The object of this special arrangement is to provide a draw in the third cell Ma yet have a fulltone space between the fth and sixth passage.

A full-tone step is provided by the spacing between the sixth and seventh passage and a halitone between the seventh and eighth which completes the scale or octave baci: to do again. The upper "do may be blown from either the fourth cell Mb or the fifth cell lilo by virtue of a special blow passage 55a that communicates with both cells. A flexible valvelap ll permits air to be blown downwardly into the passage la from either adjoining cell but will check any air from being drawn upwardly through this passage. This arrangement is clearly illustrated in enlarged detail in Figure 3, and prevents a draw on either cell Mb or i410 from aiecting the norm mal draw passage in the other interconnected cell. The reason for having this upper do blowable from either cell Mb or ille is for the convenience of the musician.

The above described sequence of air-passage spacing and arrangement may be repeated for as many octaves as desired, from the highest in treble to the lowest in bass, the example illustrated having four octavos. And it will be seen that regardless of what key or what tone is set for do that the correct scale will be sounded in its pro-per and correct sequence of full-tones and half-tones.

Just below the mouthpiece l2 is a section oiv flexible material such as rubber it that has airpassages i9 therethrough that correspond to and cooperate with the air-conductive blow and draw passages I5 and it of the mouthpiece. The upper portion of the rubber l is held in stationary relation to the mouthpiece but the lower portion of the rubber is mounted on a sliden guide 2 to which is attached a biiurcated arm 2i so that the thumb or iinger of the musician may engage it and by applying longitudinal; force thereto, the lower part of the rubber be flexed to the right or leit a distance equal to the individual spacing of the reeds to sharp or flat any note or tone. This movement of the rub ber and the passages therein, is indicated in Figure 2 by dotted lines at lila. A spring 22 passes through a limiting stop 23 and engages a projection 24 of the slide-guide Ell to limit the movement of the rubber and to help return it to its normal position when pressure on the arm is. released. The reeds on. both. the draw reed plate 25 and the blow reed-plate 26 are equally spaced and all are in half-tone steps. An individual air-passage 21 is located in a reed-block 28 for each reed on both plates, and the reedplates and reed block are mounted on a sliderail 29 for longitudinal right and left movement as a unit, therealong, for the purpose of selective key-change, throughout the entire range of the instrument. It Will be noted that the blow and draw reed-plates may be made identical each having reeds 3l) on the same side of the respective plates but arranged, with reference to instrument, to be actuated by blown air or drawn air respectively.

The key-shift mechanism comprises a flat spring-like strip 3| that is pivoted at 32 and that terminates in a nger ring 33. The instrument is housed between side-plates 34 on one of which is the pivot 32 and along the lower edge of which is a notched sector 35. A pin 36 on the strip 3l engages the notches in the sector to selectively hold the reed air-passages 21 in register with the passages I9, and a pointer 31 on the strip indicates the position of the strip with reference to the sector which may be marked as desired to indicate the musical key to which the instrument is set. A connecting rod 38 connects the strip 3l to the movable reed-plate unit at iii) whereby both reed-plates and their supporting reed-block 28 may be shifted along the sliderail 29. If it is known in advance, to what keys the instrument is to be shifted, during the playing of a composition, the pre-set stops 4U may be set at the pre-determined keys and a quick shift of the strip 3| to the stops 4B can be accomplished for a quick and correct key-change.

The entire instrument may be supported in frame members 4|, and it will be seen that this mechanism may be constructed for as many different keys as the musical scale affords. Since all reeds move as a unit, the adjustment or shift covers the entire range of the instrument from the highest treble to the lowest bass. All air passages are correspondingly spaced so that cor-- rect register is assured when the various movable elements are in any of their various normal positions. 'Ihis spacing isI based upon the spacing of the haii-tone reeds and the limiting stop 23 and the notches in the sector 35 are designed to assure correct air-passage register in the several normal operating positions.

It will be understood that the key-shifting mechanism may be mounted on either side of the instrument. For purposes of clearness it is shown on the near side in Figure 2, but in some cases it may be preferable to mount it on the other side so that it will be more easily seen by the musician when the instrument is at his lips in the playing position.

'I'he finger ring on the key-shifting mechanism may, if desired, take the form of a cup or thimblelike structure to prevent the nger from passing therethrough.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A harmonica comprising a mouthpiece. a reed-plate slidable with reference to the mouthpiece, a plurality of reeds on the reed-plate, tlrere being individual air-passages connecting the mouthpiece with individual reeds, a plate-shifting mechanism including a pivoted arm extending exteriorly of the instrument, and a positionindicating sector.

2. In a harmonica. a reed-plate, a plurality of reeds on the reed-plate, a iiexible strip having air-conductive passages in register with the reeds, and exterior means to iiex the strip for changing the register of the passages.

3. In a harmonica, a mouthpiece having airpassages, a rubber section adjacent the mouthpiece there being air-passages in the section in register with the passages in the mouthpiece, a reed-block, a reed-plate on the block there being air-passages in the block in register with the passages in the rubber, and means for shifting the register of the passages in the rubber with reference to the passages in the block.

4. In a harmonica, a mouthpiece having airpassages, a rubber section adjacent the mouth-- piece there being air-passages in the section in register with the passages in the mouthpiece, a reed-block, a reed-plate on the block there being air-passages in the block in register with the passages in the rubber, and means for shifting the register of the passages in the rubber with reference to the passages in the block by flexing the rubber along one of its sides.

5. In a harmonica, a flexible section having air-passages, a slidable reed-block having airpassages in register with the passages in the section, a reed-plate on the reed-block, and means for flexing the section to change the register of the air-passages.

6. In a harmonica, a mouthpiece having scalespaced air-passages, a flexible section having airpassages, a slidable reed-block having air-passages in register with the passages in the section, a reed-plate on the reed-block, and means for exing the section to change the register ci the air-passages.

7. In a harmonica, a mouthpiece having scalespaced air-passages, a iiexible section adjacent the mouthpiece and having air-passages in register with the passages in the mouthpiece, a slide on the flexible section, a movable reed-block, a reed-plate on the reed-block there being airpassages in the block in register with the passages in the section, means for flexing a portion of the section to change the register of the airpassages therein with reference to the passages in the block, and key-changing means for shifting the block and plate with reference to the instrument.

h 8. A harmonica comprising a mouthpiece, having air openings differentially spaced thei'ealong in a series of octaves, the openings in each octave being differentially spaced according to the natural sequence of full-tone and half-tone steps in the normal musical scale, a reed-block slidablc with reference to the mouthpiece, a reed-plate on the reed-block, and a plurality of reeds on the reed-plate, there being individual air passages in the reed-block in operative communication with the individual reeds and in conductive connection with said openings in the mouthpiece.

9. A harmonica comprising a mouthpiece, having air openings differentially spaced therealong in a series of octaves, the openings in each octave being differentially spaced according to the natural sequence of full-tone and half-tone steps in the normal musical scale, a reed-block slidable with reference to the mouthpiece, a reed-plate on the reed-block, and a series of half-tone reeds on the reed-plate, there being individual air passages in the reed-block in operative communica- 'tion with the individual reeds and in conductive connection with said openings in the mouthpiece.

10. A harmonica comprising a mouthpiece, having air openings diierentially spaced therealong in a series of octavos, the openings in each octave being differentially spaced according to the natural sequence of full-tone and half-tone steps in the normal musical scale, areed-blcck slidable with reference to the mouthpiece, a reed-plate on the reed block, a plurality of reeds on the reed-plate, there being individual air passages in the reed block in operative communication with the individual reeds and in conductive connection with said openings in the mouthpiece, and external means for sliding the reed-block with reference to the mouthpiece for changing the musical key.

11. In a harmonica having a movable reedblock, the improvement which comprises a series of equally spaced halfv-tone reeds on said reedblock, and a mouthpiece having a series of fixed differentially spaced air openings arranged in a series off octaves, the openings in each octave being differentially spaced according to the sequence of full-tone and half-tone steps in the normal musical octave scale, there being air passages operatively connecting the air openings with the reeds.

12. A harmonica comprising a mouthpiece, having air openings differentially spaced therealong in a series of octaves', the openings in each octave being diierentially spaced according to the natural sequence of full-tone and halftone steps in the normal musical scale, a reed-block slidable with reference to the mouthpiece, a pair of reedplates on the reed block, a plurality of reeds on each reed-plate, each constituting a chromatic scale, there being individual air passages in the reed block in operative communication with the individual reeds and in conductive connection with said openings in the mouthpiece, and external means for sliding the reed-block with reference to the mouthpiece for changing the musical key* PAUL K. MOORE. 

